Landlords and councils in Northern Ireland were told yesterday to strike out any signs of racism when providing homes for people throughout the region.
The Northern Ireland Equality Commission set out plans to tackle "unjustified complacency" in the way people are housed.
Greater rights and provision for travellers were also demanded under the new code of practice.
And the code can be used in court hearings if people feel they have been denied a house or hounded out of their home on race grounds.
The draft plans were launched in Belfast yesterday before an audience of local government, housing and ethnic group representatives. There will now be a four-month consultation period before the code is finalised.
"There has been a degree of quite unjustified complacency about racism in Northern Ireland for some time now," said Ms Joan Harbison, head of the Northern Ireland Equality Commission.
"People selling houses, landlords, housing managers and finance providers, all have responsibility for ensuring that their practices, and their staff, treat everyone equally."
Ms Harbison said "adequate and appropriate" accommodation was vital for Travellers in the North.
Northern Ireland's Housing Executive chief, Mr Sid McDowell, said there was a strong will to wipe out racism and vowed to improve the choice and quality of accommodation, and as well as make more provision for Travellers.